Carry distances and the weather

[ZappyAd]

This might be a really obvious thing for most golfers but it just struck me the other day.  I've been spending some time on the range trying to get a good idea of how far I hit each of my clubs.  I'm practicing and am fairly consistent so I feel like I have a good enough idea of which club goes how far.

Something is puzzling me though in relation to how much the weather should change carry distances.  We had some fairly extreme changes in weather over the last few weeks (for the UK summer at least) going from hot and dry to relatively cold and wet and I noticed that at the range my yardages seemed to change (get shorter) with the wetter weather.  I guess this is to be expected but I was surprised that it was so much - maybe 10-15 yds difference on my 3w between a really hot dry day and a cold wet day, maybe half a club on my 6i.

Maybe the difference is just down to something else like I wasn't hitting well when it was raining, but it got me thinking that maybe I need to pay more attention to remember not just my carry yardages but how they are affected by the air.  Anyone have any advice on what they do (if anything) to adjust?

[Lihu]

This might be a really obvious thing for most golfers but it just struck me the other day.  I've been spending some time on the range trying to get a good idea of how far I hit each of my clubs.  I'm practicing and am fairly consistent so I feel like I have a good enough idea of which club goes how far.

Something is puzzling me though in relation to how much the weather should change carry distances.  We had some fairly extreme changes in weather over the last few weeks (for the UK summer at least) going from hot and dry to relatively cold and wet and I noticed that at the range my yardages seemed to change (get shorter) with the wetter weather.  I guess this is to be expected but I was surprised that it was so much - maybe 10-15 yds difference on my 3w between a really hot dry day and a cold wet day, maybe half a club on my 6i.

Maybe the difference is just down to something else like I wasn't hitting well when it was raining, but it got me thinking that maybe I need to pay more attention to remember not just my carry yardages but how they are affected by the air.  Anyone have any advice on what they do (if anything) to adjust?

Usually greens are pretty large, and the amount that a club will reduce under the conditions you described is not going to hurt too much.

It's kind of an iterative process. Generally, the clubs go up and down about the same percentage. If you have a "feel" for the quality of the first tee shot, you can adjust the approach shot accordingly. You can then base the following shot from the two shots you just made as to roughly how the clubs will perform, and so on.

If you are playing into a strong wind pretty much anything goes. Just hit low and hope.

[sylarz]

Golf ball will carry more in dry air compared to humid air because of less density. Sometimes the difference may be up to 5-10 yards carry for mid irons.

[Lihu]

Golf ball will carry more in dry air compared to humid air because of less density. Sometimes the difference may be up to 5-10 yards carry for mid irons.

It's counterintuitive, but higher humidity is less dense at the same temperatures. Most places, it's also warmer with higher humidity so that makes it even less dense for longer carries. Where I play it's usually cooler when more humid so it is more dense and balls do carry about 3% less in the cold mornings. We also have dew and fog, which further slows down the ball a bit.

[SavvySwede]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sylarz

Golf ball will carry more in dry air compared to humid air because of less density. Sometimes the difference may be up to 5-10 yards carry for mid irons.

It's counterintuitive, but higher humidity is less dense at the same temperatures. Most places, it's also warmer with higher humidity so that makes it even less dense for longer carries.

Where I play it's usually cooler when more humid so it is more dense and balls do carry about 3% less in the cold mornings. We also have dew and fog, which further slows down the ball a bit.

True, but most people will still hit shorter when it's hot and humid because it makes people feel sluggish and swing speed suffers.

[Lihu]

[QUOTE name="Lihu" url="/t/84355/carry-distances-and-the-weather#post_1198877"]   [QUOTE name="sylarz" url="/t/84355/carry-distances-and-the-weather#post_1198872"] Golf ball will carry more in dry air compared to humid air because of less density. Sometimes the difference may be up to 5-10 yards carry for mid irons.[/QUOTE] It's counterintuitive, but higher humidity is less dense at the same temperatures. Most places, it's also warmer with higher humidity so that makes it even less dense for longer carries. Where I play it's usually cooler when more humid so it is more dense and balls do carry about 3% less in the cold mornings. We also have dew and fog, which further slows down the ball a bit.[/QUOTE] True, but most people will still hit shorter when it's hot and humid because it makes people feel sluggish and swing speed suffers.

So true, and same with very cold weather too. . .

[ZappyAd]

It also struck me that the temperature of the ball is also significant - a cold ball won't fly as far as a hot ball irrespective of atmospheric conditions. Presumably whatever it is about a golf ball that makes it compress works better when the internal material is warmer. I remember seeing sandy lyle playing in a pro am on TV in miserable weather and he talked about keeping a ball in his pocket to keep it warm for the next hole when he would put the ball he was using into his pocket to warm it up again for the hole after.

[JazzFatCat]

Quote:

Dean Snell, senior director of R&D;, golf balls for TaylorMade, thinks Thomas' figures are about right. "When the golf ball gets colder, it can lose a few miles per hour in ball speed, which can mean distance loss due to speed," said Snell. "[The] optimum temperature range is 70 to 90 degrees. At 40-degree temps the ball can slow down and be shorter by 5 to 10 yards. But the balls are not 40 degrees when played. It takes a while for them to completely get to 40."

http://www.golfdigest.com/story/cold-facts-about-golf-balls

http://probablegolfinstruction.com/golf-ball-temperature.htm

[Mike Boatright]

55 degree weather to 95 Degree weather is about 12 to 17 yards in carry distance. Humid weather at 95 degree weather to dry arid weather same temp is about 5 yards what's most noticeable say 50 yards less is into the wind at 44 degree weather vs no win. You can still hit that ball far in 44 degree weather but some how the wind will just kill it vs a warm windy day.

[Mr. Desmond]

It's counterintuitive, but higher humidity is less dense at the same temperatures. Most places, it's also warmer with higher humidity so that makes it even less dense for longer carries.

Where I play it's usually cooler when more humid so it is more dense and balls do carry about 3% less in the cold mornings. We also have dew and fog, which further slows down the ball a bit.

How high? @Lihu We are talking 40-100 feet.

I still believe from experience that the ball carries less in humid, heavy weather.

[Dave2512]

You would have to be a robot to really notice. The difference in your misfits and decent hits would be greater than a couple % here and there. I'd love to be able to blame weather on the inconsistencies in my ball striking. Wind is the only thing I notice.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

It's counterintuitive, but higher humidity is less dense at the same temperatures. Most places, it's also warmer with higher humidity so that makes it even less dense for longer carries.

Where I play it's usually cooler when more humid so it is more dense and balls do carry about 3% less in the cold mornings. We also have dew and fog, which further slows down the ball a bit.

How high? @Lihu We are talking 40-100 feet.

I still believe from experience that the ball carries less in humid, heavy weather.

Same here, but according to the density charts hot and humid conditions should give you the longest carries.

You would have to be a robot to really notice. The difference in your misfits and decent hits would be greater than a couple % here and there. I'd love to be able to blame weather on the inconsistencies in my ball striking. Wind is the only thing I notice.

Or hit longer clubs to judge.

Agree, wind seems to be the biggest contributor. . .

[arturo28mx]

Humid air is LESS dense than dry air. That's why clouds float.

[Lihu]

Humid air is LESS dense than dry air. That's why clouds float.

Agreed, but what @Mr. Desmond that our personal experience has demonstrated that the opposite happens. Not sure why, because science seems to backup what you just stated.